If, however, you are looking at the full ABBA page, you'll see - just to the left of this post - AWFULLY BIG REVIEWS. Technically, that section works as a separate blog. In practice, ABR is part of ABBA and is what I'd like to shout about at the start of this new month.
Today - April 1st - seemed a good day to write about Awfully Big Reviews, which is where a small team of volunteer authors generously review the work of other authors.
Almost all the titles chosen are children's books (from picture books through to YA) although adult books about creativity or literacy do occasionally pop up, and the reviews stay up there for four days so that more people have a chance of reading the recommendations.
ABR is my topic for today - All Fools Day - as some people might think it foolish to spend time reading and then writing about another author's work rather than publicising one's own. I don't.
I admire these (and other) reviewers. They are very, very generous: even when one loves reading, reading a book to actually review it adds a shadow of care and responsibility.
They are not paid either, except with the pleasure of reading.
Besides, when they have finished, there's the work of finding exactly the right words to describe the book and encourage the writer and the would-be audience, Authors themsleves, they know how hurtful a couple of careless or dismissive words can be. ( I am ignoring those damaging mean-minded Amazon reviews that say things like "Bought this novel from a Carnegie list or something. My toddler was not at all interested. Ruined bedtime. One Star")
Why does the ABR blog exist? Long ago, when ABBA was first thought about, there were discussions about what should be included. "Book Reviews" was suggested and Awfully Big Reviews was born. My post today will tell you a bit about the thinking behind the ABR blog as it is today.
Awfully Big Reviews would be:
a) positive in style - about books which the reader had enjoyed and wanted to recommend, rather than emphasis being on a "bad" book. Controversy sells, but ABR isn't selling: ABR is celebrating the books reviewed on its pages.
b) include a wide range of titles - for example, those much-loved "series" chapter books that 7-9 year old readers need to build their reading skills could be included, as could non-fiction, or poetry or tv & media adaptations of children's books. Not just Big Shiny Novels.
c) not tied to the publicity cycle of "forthcoming" books, nor ignoring those books that have been out a few months or even more. (Haven't all published authors felt the chill of the "your PR time is up" clock - if it existed at all?) ABR would be show an interest in current titles but as long as a book was still in print and would still be of relevance or interest, the title could still be reviewed.
d) only offer one "appearance" per title. This decision was a response to the "one book hogging all the reviews" phenomena. ABR wanted to support a variety of writers and illustrators. Not just the celebrities and money-stars.
e) the reading choice of the reviewer. Some magazine reviewers receive a box of books, from which they can choose one title, or are asked to review a specific title in a set genre. This doesn't happen with ABR. The copies reviewed may be publicity copies but they can also be bought books or books borrowed from libraries and so on. The reviewers are experienced authors, familiar with children's reading and - so far - seem to enjoy choosing their own books and offering a diverse set of titles. (Yes, ABR can always do better on diversity.)
f) not limited to a set word count. As the ABR electronic page isn't tied to "300 / 500 word count", reviewers can give a book the space needed as well as widening out the context to include children's responses, and so on, and use their own "voice" to talk about the book.
g) not be limited to books by members of the "other SAS": the Scattered Authors Society, although of course SAS titles are not excluded. ABR is about a wide appreciation and love of children's books.
h) be visible on screen for four days: this was set up as a way of extending the chosen book's coverage, and because each reviewer will have spent reading time and writing time on the piece. Generous, that's my best description of the ABR reviewers. (The four day span is why ABR exists as a separate blog.)
So please, dear ABBA visitor, do find that little image at the top of the left-hand column of the blog. Discover what interesting titles are being reviewed right now and are there in the older posts. (And those to come. Then - as ABR is a separate blog, please do tweet and facebook any reviews you enjoy.
Thanks for listening to my shout.
Finally, huge and public thanks and huzzahs to all the Awfully Big Reviews reviewers, both present and past.
THANK YOU FOR HAPPILY READING . . . AND THEN FOR THE WRITING!
Next book, please . . . .
Penny Dolan
ABR Admin
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